I was fortunate to find an apartment in my town while serving in the Peace Corps. Problem was, it had no refrigerator or stove. A co-worker lent me a small fridge and I just went out and bought a two burner counter top. Unfortunately, I can o... Read more

I've been a way from SP for a while. My life has been in a whirl since April when I accepted a position with Peace Corps Response.
Since May, I've quit my job, moved out of my condo and moved to another country.
This is my second spin... Read more

I am a finalist for an amazing job in a tropical country. I don't want to give details at the moment for fear of jinxing it. Even if I don't get this job, I will be traveling internationally in the next few months. Regardless of what happens,... Read more

I really do not like Starbucks at all (too many reasons to mention). I tend to patronize our incredible local coffee houses. As a teacher, I receive a lot of gift cards over the holidays. Many students opt for coffee since they know I enjoy i... Read more

I do not have my own children but I have five godchildren. I love creating Easter baskets for them but then obviously I am confronted by all those temptations.
I went to Target last week and went a little crazy. I came home and realized t... Read more

Okay so I'm playing on words here.
If you are a bit "older" or less urban, you may not know "salty" has been around for a long time among urban teenagers to mean "you're wrong." I'm sure it has seeped into the suburbs/small towns too.
... Read more

I am just over 500 points away from Level 16. I find it amusing that I find getting points to be fun and motivating. Like many of you, I care about keeping my Spark streaks going. lol
As I close in on a trophy, I'm always much more activ... Read more

Yesterday I saw a friend of mine that I don't get to see very often. He is very happily retired and traveling the world. He is a fellow teacher, though, and fills in at my school when one of us in our department needs assistance. A colleague ... Read more

The weather here has been in the 30s. Normally I would walk in that weather but the last few weeks I've been battling a bad case of bronchitis. Thankfully, it is almost gone. Still, sudden changes in temps (like going inside to outside) have ... Read more

Our diet is simply the food that we eat.
Still it's a loaded term for me. I hear "diet" and I think of deprivation and the obsession of my mom, aunts and grandmother to lose weight during my childhood. I was raised with the baggage of eve... Read more

Yesterday I thought I'd stop at Kohl's and pick up a new spring blouse or two to liven up my wardrobe. I rarely shop since I still have a size or two down in my closet. What a frustrating experience.
First of all it irritates me so much w... Read more

After 19 years of teaching, I gave notice to my school district that I would be leaving my job.
Since then, life has been a roller coaster. A local newspaper featured my story because I've been a very involved and dedicated teacher. Forme... Read more

I've been away for a while and am glad to be back.
Since the holidays, I've been re-dedicating myself to eating better. Honestly, I was doing well but struggling a bit with sugar.
Four days ago, I developed a terrible stomach virus. M... Read more